Cigar-lighter tip



Jan. 1, 1929.

` J. SINKO CIGAR LIGHTER TIP Filed April 16, 1928 Patented Jan. 1, 12929.

JVOHN SINKO, OF CHICAGO,'ILLINOIS.

crean-LIGHTER T11.

Application med 11pm 16, 192s. semi No. 270,208.

turally 'by the provision of `a metallic tip member containing an insulated spiral of fine. wire constituting the hghter element, the tip being mounted on one end of a circuit cord that isconnected to a battery orother source of currenteither directly, or through a reel 011 Ywhich the cord is wound, when the lighter is not in use. My vpresent Ainvention relates to an i111- proved lighter tip,A and more specifically to that type of lighter tip wherein the circuit is opened and closedv by a manually operated switch in the tip itself. The' main objects ofthe inventionare, to provide a simplified and improved structure and arrangement of current conducting and insulating elements, including a manually operated normally opened switch within .the holder tube of the tip, to. provide a construction wherein the removable igniter carrying block shall be securelyV locked in 'the holder -tube against accidental displacement; and, generally, to reduce thefcost of manufacture-'and simplify and improve the construction of cigar lighter tips of the type specied. y n

An improved mechanical.embodiment of the present invention is'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which-f Fig. 1 is an axial'verticaltsection 'through the` assembled tip;

Fig.,2 is a horizontal section .on the line 2-1-2 of Fig. .1; p

]3`i"g-3v is a 'horizontal section on the-.line 3-#3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 41is a perspective view of the upper portion of the holder tube;

Fig..5 4is a detail inside elevation of the outer insulating blockthat carries theignition element; I

Fig. ,6 is a side elevational view of the inner insulating. block and parts' immediately associated therewith Fig..;7 isa perspective elevation of the ash guardi Referring ,to the. drawing, 10 designates themetal holder tube which is lformed substantially. mid-length thereof with an inter-A Y, nal shoulder 11 and at its lower end with ya hole.12 through which extends the usual cord 13, carryingthe. insulated circuit wires 14 and 15'. n

Within the lower portion of the holder tube is an inner insulating block 16 that is formed rthe circuit wire 14.

on its upper end with an annular flange 17 seating on the shoulder 11, and is encircled by a brass ferrule or contact'shell 18. The block 16 has a central socket or well-19, in the bottom wall of which is mounted an eyelet 2O to the lower end of which is soldered The eyelet 20 serves to attach to the ylower end of the block 16 a leaf spring switch 21 and an insulating strip 22 lying parallel with the switch 21 and on the outer side of the latter. The switch and i11- sulating strips 21 and 22 extend upwardlyy through a vertical groove 23 in the block'16, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, both of the members 21 and 22 lying inside a flattened portion 18 (Fig. 3) of the ferrule 18, and extending some distance above the top of the block 16.

Fitted within the socket 19 is a metal contact sleeve 24 closed at its lower end and at its upper end formed with an annular shoul der 24 resting upon the top of the block 16. Seated 25, the upper end of which serves to force upwardly a `contact plunger 26,A the latter confined against escape by an annular beino lip 2q? on the sleeve 24 engaged with an anon its upper end for a purpose hereinafter describe within the sleeve 24 is a thrust spring f 29 designates an outer insulating block, the

a central aperture through which project-s a conical lug 29 on the'lower end of the block 29. In the upper portion of the vholder tube 10 are formed a pair of diametrically opposed bayonet slots 31 (Fig, 4), and these slots are engaged by outwardly pressed lugs 32 Fig. 5) formed on the shell 30. The block 29 is formed with a central hole 33, through which extends a wire 34 that is soldered at its lower end to a contact tip 35 that is seated 011 the lug 29 and is Vformed with a. convex lower face normally fitting the seat 26 vin the plunger 26. The wire 34 constitutes an eX- tension of the inner end of a spiral igniter coil 36 that is seated in a shallow recess 37 in the face of the insulating block 29. An e1;- tension 38 of the outer end of the igniter coil 36 passes down through an eccentric hole 39 in the block 29 and at its lower end is soldered to the bottom wall of the shell 30.

A hole 40 is formed through the upper portion of the holder tube 10 (see Fig. 4), and through this hole extendsthe shank 41 of a V,contact sleeve 30 formed in its bottom with sulating strip push-button, said button being formed on its inner end with an enlarged Vtapered head 41 against which the sp-ring switch 21 and in- 22 exert an outward thrust, holding the push-button head 41 in contact with the inner'edge of the hole 40. Y

Telescoping over the uppei' en d of the holder tube 10 is the usual ash gua-rd 42 formed with an indented lug 43 that interlocks with a bayonet slot 44 (Fig. '7) inthe upper portion of the holder tube 10. To prevent turning ol2 the shell 30 on the block 29, the latteris formed in its side with a depression 29'n (Fig. 2) receivingan indentation 30a in the shell 30.

When the push-button 41 is pressed in to carry theswitch 21 into contact with the upper portionof the contact sleeve 24, the course ofthe current is as follows: wire 14, leyelet 20, switch 21, contact sleeve 24, plunger 26, contact tip 35, wire 34, igniter coil 36, wire 33,

' shell 30, holder tube 10, shell 18 and wire 15.

The circuit is normally open between the switch 21 and the contact sleeve 24, as shown in Fig. 1. l i

The function of the spring 25 is three-fold.

.It exerts a constant upward thrust through the plunger 26 lon the contact tip 35 and through the latter to the outer insulating block 29, which maintains the locking lugs 32 of the latter securely interlocked with the bayonet joints 31 of the holder tube. It also insures a perfect electrical contact between the plunger 26 and the contact tip 35. And it also exerts a downward thrust on the insulating block 16, maintaining the latter on its seat 11 and insuring the proper cooperative relation of the spring switch 21 and the pushbutton41. The spring 25. is always under tension, and its action is not in any way related to the making and breaking of the circuit.

With the structure shown, the parts are very easily assembled and disassembled. In assembling, the holder tube is irst passed `over the upper end of the cord 13 and the wires 14 and 15 are soldered to the eyelet 2O and shell 18, respectively. llhe insulating block 16 is then drawn down into the holder tube until arrested by the engagement ont its shoulder 17 with the seat 11, the parts carried by the insulation block having been previously assembled thereon. Prior to drawing the insulation block 16 toits seat, pushbuttcn 41 is entered through the hole 40 from the inside, and is held in working position by thespring switch 21 when the latter is in place. The upper Y insulation block 29 equipped with the igniter wires Vand coil is then inserted into the upper end of the holder tube 10 and pressed downwardly, compressingthe spring 25, and then turned to carry its lugs 32 into engagement with the bayonet slots 31. The ashV guard is then inserted over the ,and of the holdertube 1 0 and given a ytween the eyelet- 20 and slight turn to interlock its lug 43 with the bayonet joint 44, and the tip is then fully assembled and ready for use. By the simple reverse of the above described operations, the parts may be disassembled ior examination and repair whenever necessary.

Within the recess 19 below the Contact sleeve 24 l have shown an iiisulatiiigdisc 45 to insure against any possible short circuit bethe sleei'e 24, The lower end ot the ash guard 42 is notched as shown at 46 to straddle the shank ot the push-button 41.

' The described structure arovides a very simple, comparatively inexpensive, and eliicient manually operable cigar lighter tip, in which the upper and lower insulation blocks 29 and 16 and the parts associated therewith block having a portion thereof adapted tov make and break contact with said switch,a contact plunger slidable in said guide, a spring urging said plunger outwardly of said guide, an outer insulation block in said holder tube detachably interlocked with the latter, a metal contact tip on the inner end of said outer block pressed against by said plunger, an igniter elementen said outer block' electrically connected at one end to said Contact tip and at its other end to said holder tube, and circuit wires respectively electrically connected to said switch and to said holder tube.

2. ln a lighter tip 0i' the type described, the combination of a holder tube, a recessed inner insulation Yblock fitted into said tube,

an insulated spring switch attached to the` contact plungerslidable in said guide,Y a, thrust spring in said guide urging said plunger outwardly, an outer insulation block in said holder tube detachably interlocked with the latter, a met-al contact tip Yon the inner endet said outer-block pressed against by the outer end of said plunger, an igniter coil on the outer face of said outer block electrically connected at oneend to said contactL tip and at its other end to said holder tube,

and circuit wires respectively electrically connected to the inner' end of said switch and to said holder tube.

3. In a lighter tip of the type described, thecombination ot' a holder tube, a centrally recessed inner insulation block carrying a metal contact shell fitted into said tube, an insulated spring switch attached to and extending outwardly beyond said block, a pushutton mounted in the wall of said holder tube and thrust outwardly by said switch, a plunger guide mounted in and projecting beyond the recess of said block, the projecting portion of said guide cooperating with said switch to make and break the circuit, a con- .tact plunger slidable in said guide, a spring in said guide urging said plunger outwardly, an outer insulation block carrying a metal contact shell in and detachably inter-locked with said holder tube, a metal contact tip on the inner end of said outer block pressed against by the outer end of said plunger, an igniter element on said outer block electrically connected at one end to said contact tip and at its other end to said last-named contact shell. and circuit wires respectively electrically connected to said switch and to said lirst-named Contact shell.

4. In a lighter tip of the type described, the combination of a holder tube formed with an internal shoulder, an inner insulation block formed with the shoulder of said tube, a central recess, and a longitudinal groove, a met-al contact shell surrounding said block and itting the wall of said tube, an insulated spring switch attached to the inner end of said block and extending through said groove outwardly beyond said block, a push-button mounted in the wall of said holder tube and thrust outwardly by said switch, a plunger guide sleeve mounted in and projecting beyond the recess of said block, the projecting portion of said guide sleeve being enlarged diametrically and cooperating with said switch to make and break the circuit, a contact plunger slidable in said guide sleeve, a coil spring in said guide sleeve urging said plunger outwardly, an outer insulation block carrying a metal contact shell in and detachably interlocked with said holder tube, a metal contact tip on the inner end of said outer block pressed against by the outer end of said plunger, an igniter coil on the outer face of said outer block electrically connected at one end to said Contact tip and at its other end to said last-named contact shell, and circuit wires respectively electrically connected to said switch and to said first-named contact shell.

JOHN SINKO.

a shoulder supported on 

